បណ្ណសារ

Should We Give Money to Beggars?

There are numerous beggars around the world, but the most remarkable countries that have the most percentage of beggars are India, Cambodia and some other undeveloped and developing countries, which are also known as poor countries. The question is: Should we donate our money or food to beggars?

Beggars usually beg for money and food, that’s for certain. If we want to analyze this problem, we have to think it from the top (or from the root). So first of all, we must find out how people become beggars, and there is quite a bunch of reasons that lead to this result. It can be that the people are born in poverty or their education is so low that they have to beg for food in order to live. Some other people who become beggars might have suffered from the lost of homes or families due to the destruction of wars. There can be, also, a small amount of people who do not like to work and think of begging as an easy job to make money without using any strength. According to all different kinds of beggars described above, we can understand that we should and should not give money to beggars. Why said so? For some people, they think we should give money to beggars because people have to help each other in the time of need. Furthermore, they wouldn’t ask us for money if they had enough to eat and support their lives. Well, that is the opinion of most people.

However, some other people think differently. They don’t think people should give beggars any money or food. In addition, they think it is a shame to ask other people for money. There is also a proverb which supports the statement, ‘You can’t get money without using your own strength.’ The whole point is we have to work with our own brain and strength in order to get money so that we can support ourselves and our family as a whole. Thus, there isn’t any reason why we should share our incomes with those who do nothing but sitting and calling people for money. People have to use their own strength to earn their living.

On my own point of view, I think I should choose to be neutral. Somehow, I would like to suggest this to all beggars, especially the ones in Cambodia, my national motherland. All I’d like beggars to do is that they should think twice before becoming beggars. They should ask themselves why they should become beggars and why other people should donate their money to them. Likewise, it would be a fantastic idea if beggars can do something in turn for their donors; in other words, they should work to earn money. On this, I’d suggest beggars to do a small capable job such as playing musical instruments or other things that would entertain the public. By that way, beggars won’t be regarded as beggars, but rather as workers, as normal people. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if we think it over? Also, the people who give the beggars money won’t be feeling pessimistic anymore for at least they are doing something to merit the money they get.